Impression record envelope



March 2l, 1961 E. N. ROBINSON x-:T AL 2,975,956

IMPRESSION RECORD ENvELoPE Filed Feb. 26, 1958 IMPRESSIGN RECORDENVELOPE Edward N. Robinson, Wilton, Conn., Mark J. Appleman and LeonardW. Miller, New York, N.Y., and Leonard inger, Woodridge, NJ., assignorsto Impress-A-Key Corporation, East Rutherford, NJ., a corporation of NewJersey Filed Feb. 26, 1958, Ser. No. 717,648

3 Claims. (Cl. 229-68) This invention relates in general to envelopes,and particularly to a new and useful envelope container having a portionfor the making of a semi-permanent impression of keys, designs or thelike, and which provides an economical mailer for such impressions aswell as a valuable record source.

The invention provides a container in which a portion includes a pocketformed of a material such as tin foil, wax, moldable plastic, or otherimpressionable material adapted to receive an object such as a key forwhich an impression record must be made. With the key in position insidethe pocket, the moldable material is manipulated to conform to theoutline of the key to form a semi-permanent impression thereof. The keyis then removed, and the envelope forms a convenient location forstoring a semi-permanent record of the profile configuration of the keytogether lwith pertinent information concerning it.

ln accordance with the invention, it is preferable to use a materialsuch as a lead foil or other similar metal foil which may be easilymanipulated by hand to conform to the proiile outline of the key. It hasbeen found that once the prole is adequately impressed in the foil, thefoil may be used by a locksmith to make a suitable duplicate of the key.The invention provides an ideal record container for automobile keys orthe like, as well as a mailer of a key impression for the making of aduplicate key.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an envelopehaving a packet for the making of a semipermanent impression of anobject.

A further object of the invention is to provide an impression recordenvelope mailer.

A further object of the invention is to provide an impression recordenvelope which is simple in design, rugged in. construction andeconomical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated and described a preferredembodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is an open inside View of an impression record envelope mailerconstructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a lsection taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 but with the keypositioned in the impression record packet and indicating the method offorming the impression by molding the metal foil around the key.

Fig. 4 is an open inside view of another embodiment of impression recordenvelope;

Fig. 5 is a view of the envelope shown in Fig. 4 but in a fully closedposition; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

2,975,956 Patented Mar. 21, 1961 Referring to the drawings inparticular, the invention as embodied therein in Figs. 1 to 3 includes acombination impression record card and envelope mailer generallydesignated 10. The impression record card andenvelope mailer 10 includesa top panel 12 and a bottom panel `generally designated 14 which ishingedly connected to the top panel and deiined'therefrom by a scoreline i6. The bottom panel 14 is foldable abouta median score line 18 andis cut away at the central portiony to define a large rectangularopening 20. Each of the panels 12 and 14 are preferably made of a heavycard stock paper, corrugated paper, cardboard or the like.

In accordance with the invention, a large, sheet of impressionablematerial 22 such as a mechanically impressionable material as tin foil,lead foil, moldable plastic, waxed paper or the like, or a chemicallyimpressionable material such as photographic paper, is folded along acentral fold line 24 and positioned between opposite side portions 26and 28 of the bottom panel 14. The side portions` 26 and 28 are securedto their underlying counterparts along the marginal edges thereof as at30 and the impressionable material 22 is secured at spaced locations tothe bottom panel 14 so that the bottom panel and the material form apocket which may be opened from a top end 31.

A key 32 or other designed object for which an impression record isdesired, is inserted into the pocket formed by the impressionablematerial 22 and the panel' 14, in the location of the opening 20. Thecontour or configuration of the key 32 is imparted to the impressionablematerial 22 by massaging or pressing the material 22 in the vicinity ofthe key. Once the outline is formed in the impressionable material, thekey is removed from the pocket. Pertinent descriptive informationconcerning the key is recorded on the places indicated on the toppanel12.

If desired, the combination impression record card and envelope mailer16 may be used to transmit the record of the key impression through themail without the necessity of including the key in the pocket. For thispurpose, the top panel 12 is folded downwardly along the score line 16and is secured to the bottom panel 14 along marginal adhesive strips 34and 36.

Figs. 4 and 5 indicate a somewhat more elaborate impression recordmailer generally designated 38. The mailer 38 includes a central panel40, with a top panel 42 and a bottom panel generally designated 44hingedly connected to the central panel and defined therefrom by scorelines 46 and 48 respectively.

The bottom panel 44 is somewhat similar to the bottom panel 14 of theembodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3 but includes a crossing strip 50 toafford somewhat greater protection to an impression area 52 which isdefined in this bottom panel. A sheet of impressionable material 54 isfolded in half and inserted between side portions 56 and 5S of thebottom panel 44 and secured to the panel to form a pocket openable at atop end 59.

Each of the central and top panels 40 and 42 are provided with sideprotective strips 60 and 62 and 64 and 66, respectively, which are madeof thick corrugated paperboard, iilterboard or cardboard material toprovide a protective shield for the impression area 52 when the bottompanel 44 is folded along the score line 48 above the panel 4d and thetop panel 32 is folded along its score line 46 to overlie the panel 44.A sealing flap 63 having an adhesive strip 7i? is provided to secure thepanels in position for mailing.

A key or other device for which an impression is desired is placed inthe pocket, formed by the impressionable material 54 and the bottompanel 44, by inserting it through the top opening 59. The impressionablematerial 54 is manipulated by hand to form an impression record in thematerial as indicated at 72 in Fig. 6. The

key is removed and the impression may be transmitted in he mailer asshown in the folded positions of Figs. 5 an 6.

Thus, it can'be seen @hat the invention provides an ideal packet forrecording` an impression of a device such as a key, and provides a handymeans for recording pertinent information about the key. vWhen it isnecessary to mail the record of such an impression, the inventionprovides means for transmitting the impression through the mails withoutrequiring that the key be transmitted also. This alords material weightreduction in mailing and eliminates the hazards which may be in- `vo1vedif the key were mailed and it punctured the en- The invention affords anideal means for velope mailer` transmitting key impressions tolocksmiths or jewelers as Well as a means for maintaining asemi-permanent record of the key impression without-requiring that thekey itself be included in the record.

While a specic embodiment of the invention has been shown and describedin detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, itwillV be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise withoutdeparting from such principles.

We claim:

1. An impression record envelope comprising a top panel having aninformation record area on one side and a blank mailing address arm onthe opposite side, a bottom article receiving pocket hingedly connectedto said top panel, said pocket having an open area intermediate the endsthereof, and an impressionable material liner sheet folded along a foldline intermediate the ends thereof and located on the inside of saidpocket with the fold line adjacent the bottom edge of said pocket and 4bridging the open area of said pocket, said impressionable materialhaving sides extending upwardly from the fold line and connected to thelwall of said pocket.

2. A combination impression record holder and mailer comprising a toppanel, a bottom panel hingedly secured to said top panel, said bottompanel being folded substantially in two and being adhesively securedalong the marginal edges to define a' pocket, said bottom panel having asubstantially central cut away portion defining an impression opening,and an impressionable material sheet made of a material capable of beingdeformed by pressure applied by an article against the material -torecord the outline of the article on the material, said impressionablematerial being held to said panel and defining an openable articlereceiving pocket along with said panel.

3. A combination impression record holder and mailer comprising a toppanel, a bottom panel hingedly secured to said top panel, said bottompanel being folded substantially in two and being adhesively securedalong the marginal edges to define a pocket, said botom panel having asubstantially central cut away portion defining an impression opening,and an impressionable material sheet made of metal foil held to saidpanel and defining an openable article receiving pocket along with saidpanel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,028,494 Russell June 4, 1912 1,046,467 Jensen Dec. l0, 1912 1,630,465Biedennan May 31, 1927 2,558,650 Heineman et al. lune 26, 1951 2,684,546Morton July 27, 1954 2,842,050 Wright July 8, 1958

